Emigration Day, We Rise From the Ashes
by TaggertShare
Summary: Inspired by "The Day Our Silver Lining Died" and written with the permission of Saffron Panther Thankyou . Twenty Five years have passed since the destruction  of Carealot.Hard work by Grumpy and many others means it's time to return to Carealot.


Two strange looking rockets thundered into the sky from Area 51. The

tabloids had a field day writing about alien aircraft. Those in the know

chuckled, since when did Care Bears become aliens? After 25 years of

exile in the fourth dimension on Earth, The Care Bears and their human

allies made final preparations for Emigration Day.

Grumpy and the other survivors of Carealots' most horrible day had

worked long and hard to see if they could ever return home. First the

human's helped research the problems of Care Bear reproduction. Genetic

sterility plagued most bears and Care Cousins. Most females went three

months or more between periods. If they did become pregnant live births

were rare. The boys often had low sperm counts. Medications and new

treatments were developed. The birth of a Care Bear remained rare, but

they did occur.

Being on Earth had also caused the bear's paws to change shape. Their

foot claws became more toe like. Their hand claws became more finger

like. Most bears were leaner than their ancestors. One great fear was that

Care Bears would lose their ability to travel into and live in the Fifth

Dimension.

Carealot was not any old cloud. It existed in the Fifth dimension where

the laws of physics differed. It's mass was quite dense and its polarity

provided just enough repelling power to keep it from falling to Earth. A

human could stand on Carealot without falling through If they could get

into the Fifth Dimension. The strange looking rockets were the first

human built machines to breach the Fifth Dimension. They carried pre-

fabricated home building kits and many other supplies the Bears and

Cousins would need to rebuild their homeland.

The devastation of Carealot and The Forest of Feelings by NoHeart

and his henchman had left emotional scars the survivors had to live with.

They vowed that if they ever returned to Carealot they would protect

themselves and their prodigy. There would be no repeat day of destruction.

Grumpy stood tall as the Care Bears and Cousins prepared to enter the

"UFOs" in Area 51. These sleek cloud cars were designed to get the Bears

to Carealot. All launch procedures were Care Bear controlled. As soon as

liftoff was achieved they would use remote control detonations to destroy

all materials and documents pertaining to The Fifth Dimension. No human would

get to Carealot without their help or permission. Their human helpers did not

blame them for their fears. They were willing to sacrifice a lot of research to

keep the new Carealot safe.

Grumpy and Swiftheart had two cubs before she finally succumbed to

her injuries. Despite the loss of her legs she was able to give birth to

Grumpy Junior and Swifty. Most bears called Grumpy's son Young Grumpy.

Grumpy had named their girl cub in honor of his mate. He feared her

injuries would eventually end her life. When they did Grumpy had her

cremated in the hope he could one day carry her remains back to their

homeland. The other bears would often name their cubs after those

who had perished in Carealot's day of hell. They had insisted that Swift

and Grumpy name their son Grumpy. To honor all he had done they said

there must always be a Grumpy, just as there must always be a TrueHeart

and a NobleHeart.

As they waited to board a cloud car Grumpy's family greeted the other

bears and Cousins. There were so few cousins they needed only one car.

There were five cars to carry the bears. Hugs and Tugs were there with

BrightHeart. "You did a bang up job raising Hugs and Tugs" Grumpy said.

" Who's the little girl cub?" " That's Hug's little girl Snugs, I'm a grampy

now." "The father is over there, his name is TenderHeart. Tug's mate is

the girl who's helping to load the cars, her name is Funshine. I'm a Care

Cousin but I'll live in Carealot with the rest of my family.

" Time to board all cars" Funshine called out. " Care Cousins follow me"

yelled out TreatHeart. As their car lifted off Grumpy looked down with

mixed emotions. He had worked so hard for this day. His dream come true

meant he would leave many human friends behind. As he sat back in his

seat he smiled as Swifty and Young Grumpy oohed and awed at the sight

of the receding Earth below. They looked shocked as the car jumped to

the Fifth dimension. It was the first time they had experienced the strange

sensation a jump brought on.

Grumpy clutched an urn to his chest. Inside were the ashes of SwiftHeart.

He held it close to his heart. As he checked out the car's other passengers

he noticed a cheerful little bear with a rainbow on her tummy. She was

sitting on her mother's lap. Grumpy said hello to them. The Mom was Daisy

Bear. Her cub Cheer had been conceived by artificial insemination. The

sperm donor had been Grumpy.

The cloud car took a sudden downward turn to the right. Their driver

had spotted what looked like a humungous brightly lit cloud. "Look at

that", Grumpy called out. "It's Carealot and over there is the Forest of

Feelings!" The forest was about half the size it once had been. Some

burnt dead trees were still visible. There was enough green living ones

for the Care Cousins to live among and get some naturally grown food.

As the Cousins' car headed for the forest Swifty said " When I'm grown

up I would like to go there and help to make it grow bigger."

Grumpy rubbed the fur between her ears and said " You're mother

would be so proud to hear you say that. There are so few cousins that

it will take years to repair the damage and to repopulate the forest.

They will certainly need your help when the time comes. I want you

and your brother to be with me for as long as possible. I wish you

you would never grow up. But you will, and life will go on."

As the car settled down on Carealot it was filled with excited voices.

As Grumpy put his feet on Carealot's soil a tear rolled down his cheek.

For the first time in twenty five years he was breathing the air of Carealot.

It's soil was beneath his feet. He said a little prayer of thanks. Then he led

his family to the spot on his map where they should find the prefab house

that would be their new home.

The next few weeks flew by as every one tried to set up their homes

and even some little businesses. Carealot was indeed coming to life, a new

community arose from the ashes of the day of destruction. Now it was

the days of construction. The sight of Earth through the dimensional

shift continued to amaze all. To Grumpy the Earth looked like something

from a cartoon he had watched back on Earth. He wondered if he would

look like a cartoon to a human visiting Carealot. The inability of humans

to see in five dimensions meant they could not see many of the universe's

most unique sights.

Grumpy was sitting on his porch. He was holding the urn that held

SwiftHeart's ashes. He had carefully opened it and put in a spoon full of

of Carealot's soil from his new dooryard. Someday he would go to the

Forest of Feelings to get some soil from there. It was the only way he

knew how to let his deceased mate to be part of their home and homeland.

In his will it was stated when his time was done he would be cremated.

His ashes were to be put in with SwiftHeart's. Some day they would be

together again.

After putting the urn on the mantle he went out side to check up on the

cubs. Swifty pointed to the door yard next door and said "Grumpy junior

is with some girls." He was talking to two cubs with purple tinted fur.

One handed him a cookie and said "I'm Share and this is my sister Surprise."

Grumpy loved hearing their giggles as they played tag with his cubs. The

sounds of laughter in the streets of Carealot was something he once thought

he would never hear again.

It had been a long day. Swifty and Grumpy junior were tucked in bed.

Grumpy was trying to sleep but too many thoughts and memories swirled

in his head. He heard little footsteps. "Daddy, can I sleep in here with you?"

"Sure Swifty, hop up into the bed." As she cuddled up to her father it

brought back memories of SwiftHeart cuddling up to him. "She is so

like her mother" Grumpy thought. "SwiftHeart lives on in our cubs and

in Swifty's, Grumpy Junior's, and my heart. She'll always be here in pleasant

dreams and memories."

Grumpy kissed the top of Swifty's head between her ears. Soon father

and daughter were fast asleep. It was the best sleep both of them had since

the day they gave their final farewell to SwiftHeart. Sweet dreams had

come to them at last. Sweet dreams were had through out Carealot.


End file.
